In one of their few attacks, Alviverde secured the triumph with a goal in the first half scored by Flaco López after an assist from Sosa
Palmeiras extended their unbeaten run this season to 11 matches by defeating Red Bull Bragantino in Bragança Paulista by 1-0. They didn’t play an excellent game from a technical point of view, but the team from São Paulo, the isolated leader of the Brasileirão, was perfect defensively, largely thanks to the competence they have had in defense. This Sunday (26), it was necessary to set up a boom to sustain the result.
There are 32 points for Palmeiras, who have been leading the championship since the seventh round and are beating Flamengo and Fluminense, their main pursuers at the moment, to extend their advantage at the top to nine points – the Cariocas are playing at the moment.
Without Vitor Roque for three months, Palmeiras played another game with low offensive productivity, but great effectiveness. He was lethal in one of his few attacks and secured the triumph with a goal in the first half scored by Flaco López after an assist from Sosa, a Paraguayan who has taken advantage of his opportunities as a starter.
The giant, over 2 meter tall goalkeeper, who didn’t concede a goal in 19 of the 38 games in which he participated, was fundamental to Palmeiras’ triumph by saving two headers. There were two shots towards Bragantino’s goal.
Head of global football for the Red Bull group, German Jurgen Klopp liked it. He applauded the moves, but must not have approved the offensive performance of the Bragança team.
Abel Ferreira removed three of his main starters – Flaco López, Allan and Andreas Pereira – before the middle of the second half, thinking about the exhausting sequence of 10 more games until the break for the World Cup. With the minimum advantage, the team gave up playing and limited itself to defending.
The Alviverde team remained organized to defend itself in the final stage, and did so with excellence. He withstood pressure from the home team, armed to insist on the flanks. Arias, who produced nothing up front, was important in defense, helping the young left-back Arthur. The Alviverde “retranca” stood out in relation to the Bragantino attack.
